Netflix’s Yasuke turns the real-life African samurai into a fantasy adventure, and it mostly lands. The 2021 animated series, created by LeSean Thomas and animated by MAPPA, follows a retired boatman pulled back into war when he takes a young girl with magical powers under his wing. It’s a short six-episode run, but it packs in enough history, mysticism and action to justify its ambition.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Setup
The story opens in 1582, twenty years after Yasuke witnesses the fall of Nobunaga’s forces at Honnō-ji Temple. Yasuke, once a warrior known as the “Black Samurai,” now lives as a recluse named Yassan. He meets a singer named Ichika at a local bar, and agrees to take her and her daughter Saki north to see a doctor. That’s when mercenaries arrive, and Yasuke finds himself protecting Saki while facing his past again.
What Works
LaKeith Stanfield voices Yasuke, and he brings a weary dignity to a character caught between legend and retirement. Maya Tanida voices Saki, and her performance gives the young girl a quiet strength that anchors the story’s emotional core. Takehiro Hira plays Oda Nobunaga, and his reading captures the warlord’s ruthless ambition.
The animation leans heavily on fantasy elements, with magic and technology woven into a feudal Japan setting. MAPPA’s work holds up across the six episodes, giving the series a distinct visual identity that sets it apart from other anime adaptations.
Where It Falls Short
The series doesn’t always balance its mythology with character development. Some of the supporting figures, like Natsumaru and Mitsuhide, get less screen time than the plot demands, leaving their arcs unfinished. The pacing also slows in the middle episodes, where exposition about the villain Yami no Daimyō and his servants can drag.
Ranking the Episodes
- Episode 1 sets the stage with the fall of Nobunaga and Yasuke’s escape.
- Episodes 2 through 4 form the middle stretch, where the mercenaries and Saki’s condition drive the tension.
- Episode 5 focuses on Yasuke’s past and his bond with Natsumaru.
- Episode 6 wraps the story with a final confrontation against Yami no Daimyō.
Key Facts
- Creator: LeSean Thomas
- Network: Netflix
- Season: 1, 6 episodes
- First aired: April 29, 2021
- Last aired: April 29, 2021
- Score: 7.2/10
Final Word
Yasuke isn’t a perfect adaptation, but it respects its source material while building a compelling fantasy around it. The voice cast delivers, the animation stands out, and the central relationship between Yasuke and Saki earns its weight. It stumbles in the middle, but the ending pays off the setup.
7.2 of 10.
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